In the late sixties a series of grisly murders captivated the attention, and put a sudden fear in the lives of women in Michigan.
It all started on July 10, 1967 when a college student from Eastern Michigan went missing. Her body was found weeks later, or most of it anyhow. She had multiple stab wounds and was missing both her hands and her feet.
A year later in Ann Arbor, Joan Schell was found murdered, a total count indicated that she had been stabbed 47 times.
In March of 1969, A law student named Jane Mixer was found murdered in Denton Cemetery. She had been badly shot, with a pair of hose tied tightly around her neck. A book was laying neatly beside her.
Weeks later Dawn Basom's body was found. The 13 year old had been strangled to death.
Next, Alice Kalom was found dead, with her throat cut, a gun shot to the head and multiple stab wounds.
On July 23, 1969 Karen Sue Beineman went missing. Days later, her body was found, she had been strangled and beaten to death.
The horrific nature of what would come to be known as "The Michigan Murders" would be blamed on a single man- John Collins. He had gotten sloppy with the last murder, and would be tried and convicted and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole.
For many, that closed the book on the series of heinous murders- except for one case, that of Jane Mixer. There was something about her case that made it different, and with the use of DNA it would evidently be proven that Collins was not responsible for her death.
Two different DNA samples were found on Jane, one from a convict would would have been four at the time of the murder, and one from a male nurse by the name of Gary Leiterman.
Now, usually I would stick a single link in here, and it would lead you to details about the case. But- because of the history of the case, the background to it, and the fact that the DNA samples provided about as many questions as it did answers- I'm going to cheat a little and link to search results. Trust me, in this case what has been said about the case is as interesting as what has been proven.
Right about now, I should admit that I have a point in perking your interest in this case, despite it being a bit more "historic" than I usually write about.
Late last week I read "The Red Parts", a memoir by Maggie Nelson. Nelson is the niece of Jane Mixer, and the book follows her, and her thoughts and emotions as she relives the story of her aunt during the trial of Gary Leiterman for the murder of Jane.
It's not your average "True Crime" book. It has a more laid back approach, as if the author is sitting around a room filled with friends and chatting about what comes and goes through her head. Parts of the story seem to fly by as quickly as a wind gust rustling through the leaves on a tree, others linger on and on like a steady breeze. The way she tells the story, which really is more about her dealing with the case than the case itself is a refreshing break from the norm.
The Red Parts, is taken more from the victims stand point- or in this case the family of the victim- giving a unique look at how the crime can linger on in the lives of those left behind, and effect generations of people. The book is filled with feeling and emotion, and still does a good job of laying out the facts of the case, and the details of the trial that ended with Leiterman's conviction. Somehow though, I ended up feeling that perhaps the author is still battling with her own trials, still left with questions unanswered and emotions still raw from the pain she has been surrounded by. A tragedy she'll never completely escape.
(Lilo's note: I received a copy of this book, via the publisher)
It all started on July 10, 1967 when a college student from Eastern Michigan went missing. Her body was found weeks later, or most of it anyhow. She had multiple stab wounds and was missing both her hands and her feet.
A year later in Ann Arbor, Joan Schell was found murdered, a total count indicated that she had been stabbed 47 times.
In March of 1969, A law student named Jane Mixer was found murdered in Denton Cemetery. She had been badly shot, with a pair of hose tied tightly around her neck. A book was laying neatly beside her.
Weeks later Dawn Basom's body was found. The 13 year old had been strangled to death.
Next, Alice Kalom was found dead, with her throat cut, a gun shot to the head and multiple stab wounds.
On July 23, 1969 Karen Sue Beineman went missing. Days later, her body was found, she had been strangled and beaten to death.
The horrific nature of what would come to be known as "The Michigan Murders" would be blamed on a single man- John Collins. He had gotten sloppy with the last murder, and would be tried and convicted and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole.
For many, that closed the book on the series of heinous murders- except for one case, that of Jane Mixer. There was something about her case that made it different, and with the use of DNA it would evidently be proven that Collins was not responsible for her death.
Two different DNA samples were found on Jane, one from a convict would would have been four at the time of the murder, and one from a male nurse by the name of Gary Leiterman.
Now, usually I would stick a single link in here, and it would lead you to details about the case. But- because of the history of the case, the background to it, and the fact that the DNA samples provided about as many questions as it did answers- I'm going to cheat a little and link to search results. Trust me, in this case what has been said about the case is as interesting as what has been proven.
Right about now, I should admit that I have a point in perking your interest in this case, despite it being a bit more "historic" than I usually write about.
Late last week I read "The Red Parts", a memoir by Maggie Nelson. Nelson is the niece of Jane Mixer, and the book follows her, and her thoughts and emotions as she relives the story of her aunt during the trial of Gary Leiterman for the murder of Jane.
It's not your average "True Crime" book. It has a more laid back approach, as if the author is sitting around a room filled with friends and chatting about what comes and goes through her head. Parts of the story seem to fly by as quickly as a wind gust rustling through the leaves on a tree, others linger on and on like a steady breeze. The way she tells the story, which really is more about her dealing with the case than the case itself is a refreshing break from the norm.
The Red Parts, is taken more from the victims stand point- or in this case the family of the victim- giving a unique look at how the crime can linger on in the lives of those left behind, and effect generations of people. The book is filled with feeling and emotion, and still does a good job of laying out the facts of the case, and the details of the trial that ended with Leiterman's conviction. Somehow though, I ended up feeling that perhaps the author is still battling with her own trials, still left with questions unanswered and emotions still raw from the pain she has been surrounded by. A tragedy she'll never completely escape.
(Lilo's note: I received a copy of this book, via the publisher)